Oct 2014 - Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane

October 2014 • Volume 21 Issue 10
Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane Monthly Newsletter
CREATE COMMUNITY • FIND MEANING • WORK FOR JUSTICE
Up Coming Services
Oct 5
The Crime of Love: Bringing Down the Dominator System
Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof, UUCS Minister
Oct 12
Emotional Beings Being Emotional: Basic Primer on Feeling Our Way Through Life
Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof, UUCS Minister
Oct 19
Z-Nation and the Fundamentalist Mindset:
The Tendency to Fear Instead of Love Our Neighbors
Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof, UUCS Minister
Oct 26
Background Checks – A Very UU Thing To Do
Cheryl Stumbo, Guest Speaker*
* Cheryl Stumbo (a lifelong Unitarian, and member of University Unitarian Church in Seattle) is the citizen sponsor of Initiative
594 — Background Checks on All Gun Sales in Washington State, which is on our ballots this election. Cheryl is a survivor of
the July 2006 mass shooting at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, where she was shot and critically wounded. Since
recovering, she has dedicated herself to reducing gun violence.
Todd’s Thoughts
By now everyone knows I like to play with puppets. I even consider myself a hack ventriloquist, meaning I move my lips way
too much, something my puppet friends are often quick to point out. Even so, it’s pretty easy for me to put words into their
mouths and to control their movements and responses, but these are just the simple mechanics of puppetry. Animating
a puppet—really making it seem alive—is hard to do and takes a lot more practice than I have time for! That’s because,
obvious at it may sound, puppets aren’t really alive. The converse is also true. Living people aren’t puppets! Working with
puppets has helped me become more aware of this crucial difference. People are not puppets, so I don’t try to put words in
their mouths, or throw my voice around at the expense of other voices, or tell them how they should have said something,
or that something they said offends me, or expect them to act according to my will instead of their own. I also know that
I’m not a puppet, and I don’t enjoy it when others try to tell me what I should or shouldn’t say, or should or shouldn’t have
said. It’s the golden rule of puppetry, let others speak for
themselves, just as you would speak for yourself.
— Rev. Dr. Todd F. Eklof, UUCS Minister
1
Board Slivers & Management Team
Board Slivers
Management Team
The whirlwind and chaos of September is coming to a close
and we are entering the beauty and wonder of fall colors,
changing light, cool fresh breezes, and comfort foods.
What a busy month it has been! Not just in my home and
life, but as a part of your Board of Trustees. We had our
annual Saturday retreat in early September to set priorities,
participated in the Leadership Training with Thandeka in
mid-September, and wrapped up with our monthly meeting
tonight, Sept 24th!
Your M-Team meets regularly to discuss the daily
operations of the church, address concerns of
congregation members and teams, and plan how best to
move the mission and vision of the congregation forward
as per our Policy Governance charge. Our 4 pm meetings
in the Administration Office Workroom are generally every
other Tuesday. And, of course, all are welcome to attend
the meetings. If you are unable to attend, but would like
something to be put on the agenda, please contact Rev.
Todd at 325-6383 or [email protected]. Our meeting
schedule this month is October 14 and October 28.
At our annual retreat we welcomed our new members
Wayne Atwood, Jeff Hedges, and Donna Borden-Rhodes
to our existing group of Dan Eacret, Bonnie Brunt, Sue
Stiritz, and myself. Todd reviewed what it means to be a
Board that practices Policy Governance. He reminded
us that our primary functions are to develop, clarify, and
monitor church policies and Ends (the standards by which
we hold ourselves), and to stay connected to you, the
congregation, in as many ways possible. We reviewed the
finances of the church with our wonderful treasurer, Marie
Bjork, and discussed how lucky we are to be a part of a
‘culture of generosity’ in our church…but that some tough
budgetary decisions may be in our future as our income is
not covering our expenses. We then came to the exciting
part of the retreat...our Strategic Plan!
FYI from the Administrator
Order of Service Layout Person Needed
Our long-time Order of Service (OOS) layout
person, Karen Olson, has decided to give
over this task to a new person. Laying out
the weekly OOS involves approximately one
hour of work per week and can be done at
church or from home. If you are interested in
volunteering to do this important bit of church business,
please contact me for details at [email protected] or
509-325-6383.
With your help, we developed this plan a little over a 1
year ago, and incredible progress has been made in
accomplishing the priorities we all set together! The Board
will do whatever we can to support the Management,
Personnel, other teams, and Todd to accomplish the
objectives of the plan.
2013-14 Annual Report Coming Soon
Due to some technical difficulties resulting from me trying a
new process for compiling our 2013-14 Annual Report data —
big mistake, I know — the report is still in production and not
yet published. However, as soon as it is completed information
will be in the Focus bulletin about how to review the report online or receive a printed copy. Sorry about the delay.
Tonight, at the Sept. Board Meeting, we voted to focus
our energy on the continuation of the implementation of
the Strategic Plan with special emphasis on 1) Funding
our budget and maintaining a sustainable financial plan, 2)
Focus on staffing as a sustainable piece of the church, and
3) Finish projects begun (including the church database
implementation, website revitalization, AV updates, ADA
access to pulpit, etc). We are very excited for the upcoming
year and we hope you are! Please come chat with any of us
if you have questions or comments.
— Jet Tilley, UUCS Business Administrator
FYI from the new SUUN Editor
I have to confess I am afraid! I get over 200 emails a day
and sometimes I lose them. You can help allay my fears by
being SURE to put UU SUUN in the subject line. That way,
even if I miss them I can search and find them. I respond
to every article, so if you don’t get a reply get in touch as I
might have missed your submission. AND, it would be great
if you did not format your article – I just have to remove it,
so you’d save me a bit of time by just sending it in simple
MSWord format. Thank You!
For more info on the Strategic Plan go to our church
website at www.uuspokane.org.
— Submitted by Ann-Scott:
www.uuspokane.org/images/StrategicPlanActionTracking.pdf
Thank You!
— Kathryn Alexander, UUCS SUUN Editor
-Ann-Scott Ettinger
(UUCS Board President-in-Training)
The Board of Trustees meets the fourth
Wednesday of each month beginning in July.
Meeting times are 6:30 — 8:15 pm.
All are welcome.
2
Treasurers Report
UCS Solar Update
We are a generous congregation and together we do so
much to make our community and our world a better place.
Our new budget year started in July, and after 2 months we
are $2,783 in the black. We often start the year with slow
pledge payments, and last year we were about $4,000 in
the red at this same time. This year, we’re right on track. ;-)
Our Solar Steering Committee
recently added window tinting
to the south side of our RE
wing and to the large wall of
windows in our Thoreau room,
dramatically reducing the heat
that can make them unbearable
during the summer months.
Window tinting is also being
considered for the south-facing
windows in our sanctuary through which intense sunlight
shines six months of the year. During recent services I’ve
observed those seats most directly in the sunlight remain
entirely empty or else watched as those few sitting in them
have to get up during the service and move elsewhere. Even
when sitting five rows back I’ve personally had to shade my
eyes just to read my hymnal. Window tinting can mitigate
these problems in several ways. Tinting cuts radiant heat
between 74 and 79 percent, which would make it far more
comfortable to sit in the sunny seats. Tinting reduces the
glare, making it more pleasant for those facing the south
windows, like our choir, and for reading our hymnals and
orders of service. Tinting blocks 99 percent of the UV rays
which typically damages wood floors and upholstery fabric.
Tinting prevents the floors and furniture from heating up,
reducing our air conditioning load during the hottest months.
The down side is that during the winter there is less solar
heat generated through the tinted windows, but nowhere
near enough to offset the benefit gained during the summer.
Aesthetically, it also alters the view by somewhat muting
colors and making things subtly darker. There are presently
two sample windows in the sanctuary that have been tinted
with a lighter and darker film. Please take some time over the
next few weeks to look through them and even stand in the
light they cast to feel the difference for yourself. Then report
your impressions to our minister or other members of our
Management Team as they continue to discern whether or
not to move forward with this project.
The Board, our new Finance Team, the Management Team, and
myselfI will all be keeping a close eye on our financial situation
this year. If you’re reading this, it means you too are interested
in our church finances. ;-) If you’d like to become more involved,
there are opportunities! You might join our newly expanded
Finance Team, participate in a review of our finances (similar
to an audit), or work with Stewardship, to name a few. Please
contact me for more information - we’d love to help you find
your niche in the financial operations of our church.
If you don’t remember what your pledge is, please call the
church office at 325-6383 and someone will help you. If
your circumstances have changed, and you need to change
your pledge, please contact the church office, or myself.
Thank you for working together to keep this church year in
a healthy financial position and continue our positive impact
in the world.
Full financial reports are posted monthly on the bulletin board
in the foyer, or you may contact me with questions. Thank you
again and again for your continued support of our church.
Thank you – and thanks for you continued support of our
church and our mission
— Marie Bjork, Treasurer
(220-0986 or [email protected])
— Tom Mosher
on behalf of the Solar Steering Committee
Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane (UUCS) Ends Statements *
•The UUCS is a bold voice, advocate and active partner with national and local organizations to promote social and economic justice,
environmental responsibility, worldwide peace, liberty and the democratic process.
•The UUCS is an ever more diverse congregation overcoming the barriers that divide the human family.
• The UUCS is a community where people find meaningful connections in groups large and small.
• The UUCS is financially sound, sustained by a culture of abundance that prompts generous gifts of time, talent and money to support
the church and its programs.
•The UUCS is mindful of our impact on the Earth and engages in environmental stewardship that is visible to the larger community.
•The UUCS ministers to the needs of our local community and is proactive in making our presence known to those beyond our sanctuary walls.
•The UUCS sustains and inspires individual transformation and growth for all ages and encourages exploration of world belief systems
through those sources known as Our Living Tradition.
* Our Policy Governance Ends statements adopted by the UUCS Board of Trustees in April 2012 are the visionary goals of our congregation.
3
CELEBRATING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Tracy’s Reflections
In September, I began serving as your Consulting Minister of Religious Education. I am here to ensure there is an engaging
and meaningful religious education program for children and youth this year. I am also here to work with you to create a
ministry that helps children and their families flourish. I am happy to be in a congregation I have loved for a many years,
and excited to be serving children and families, as I have been called to children and family ministry for a long time.
I first came to the Spokane Church, unchurched and fairly skeptical of religion, in 1994, hauling along my three year old
and baby. I was exhausted. The baby cried constantly. My family was poor, and we lived in an unfinished house without
running water. I struggled to get through the day and to find meaning in a culture that hated the poor and seemed to
honor mostly one’s ability to consume. In a moment of desperation, I decided to go to church. I choose the church of my
grandparents and mother, this congregation. Here I found remarkable blessings.
The first blessing was sitting quietly and listening to music, poems and wise words all blend together in a wonderful ways.
The experience washed over me. I felt revived.
The second blessing happened when as I struggled to hold my fussy baby and cajole my three year old down the steps, an
older woman stopped, smiled kindly, and said, “It gets easier.” I almost cried. I felt hope.
I didn’t learn about the third blessing for many months. I gave strict instructions to the two women in the nursery to get me
if my baby cried. They never did, and I assumed they had the magic baby touch. But he did cry every Sunday, and those
women just held him, seeing in me someone who desperately needed an hour to herself. I felt cared for.
I did not know then, but these blessings were acts of ministry – the offerings of ritual, love and kindness that helped me find
my center so I could see the wonder of this life and love more fully.
In the years that followed UUCS ministered to my family in many ways. We were served a weekly dinner followed by
worship and activities that bonded us to a community. Camp Starwheel became as essential to our yearly rhythm as
Christmas and birthdays. When the boy’s father and I divorced, the congregation held us in love. My three sons attended
religious education, OWL, youth group and youth cons, growing into confident young men with UU values.
I learned about ministry here – about how being in a community that holds love and service at its center can strengthen
each of us to deal with life’s pain and be the people we want to be. I learned I wanted to be a minister and serve such
communities.
Ministry saved my family by centering us and reminding us what really was most important. It is difficult be a child and a
family in a culture insists we each to do so much and be so much. All of us need a community that reminds us that being
ourselves, being kind, and loving life is enough.
This year, I hope to begin a journey with all of you to strengthen and grow our ministry to families and children.
Please join me.
— Rev. Tracy Springberry
UUCS Consulting Minister of Religious Education
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CELEBRATING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
RE Program Offerings
Come to 9:15 Religious Education Classes
UUCS now has Religious Education for children at 9:15. A
team of accomplished teachers are offering Picture Book
UU to children up through 6th grade. Each day begins with
a remarkable picture book that explores a UU value and
then continues to explore the value through movement and
art. Try it out!
NEW This Year:
Jedi Academy – Grades 5 & 6 at 11 am
Jedi Academy curriculum is based on five training categories
of Skill, Senses, Courage, Insight and Spirit. The focus is
on a development of mindfulness, peace and justice. The
lessons are based on the mythic Star Wars Saga, No Prior
Jedi Knowledge Or Experience Is Necessary to fully
participate. We need teachers for this class!
RE Open House
On October 19, the Religious Education Leadership Team
and RE teachers will be hosting an Open House in the RE
wing. Come enjoy coffee, find out what the children and
youth are learning, and have conversations with teachers
and other RE volunteers.
Popcorn Theology – Senior High at 11 am
Exploring Ethics and Theology through Film with Youth.
Popular movies on theological and ethical themes,
activities. This new curriculum has been popular with other
UU youth groups so we are going to give it a try. We could
use some additional teachers and advisors for the senior
high youth group.
Classroom Assistants Needed
– once a month commitment.
The RE program needs assistants at the 9:15 service and
in the nursery both services. Assistants are also needed
for Neighboring Faith, the 11:00 Junior High Class, and
Holidays and Holy Days, the 11:00 class for second to
fourth graders. These are once a month opportunities to
be with children and hear their perspectives on UU faith
and other religions. If you are interested contact Tracy
Springberry or Barb Stuebing at [email protected].
Extra New! Picture Book UU & the World — K through
Grade 5 at 9:15 am
UU values and fun in our one room school house. A
chance to make friends, learn and lead in the multi-age
environment. We will look at UU values by reading picture
books and doing a lot of creative activities together. This
will combine several curriculums to make one fantastic
year. Teachers are recruited but we need teacher assistants
for the 9:15 class.
One-time RE Volunteer Opportunity
We need people who like children and youth to hang out
with them at a pizza party on October 26 while adults are
at the opening of the Community Marketplace. Please
contact Tracy Springberry or Barb Stuebing at re@
uuspokane.org if you would like to help.
Picture Book UU — K through Grade 2 at 11 am
Similar to the program above but geared for the K-2 age
group. We have teachers could always use one more
teacher or assistant.
Opportunity to Support Teachers and Learn
More About RE Curriculums
Tried, True and Fun Favorites:
Holidays & Holy Days — Grades 3 & 4 at 11 am
RE teachers teach classes twice a month all year. This is
a huge commitment to serve our children and youth. We
make it easier by gathering all the supplies they need for
each class. We are looking for volunteers to do this task.
It is about a 2 hour a week commitment and can be done
at any time. Please contact Tracy Springberry or Barb
Stuebing at [email protected] if you would like to help.
The participants prepare for and celebrate holidays from
around the world. Each is linked to a UU principle and each
week honors a heroic leader, explores a changing season
or shares a cherished story from our own heritage or from
others around the world. This is a favorite with teachers and
students but we need teachers.
It’s the Little People that Insure the Future of Our Church
— Things change and things stay the same. Again this year
our religious education (RE) program needs volunteers to
both teach and assist with our religious education classes.
This is a cooperative program that needs support from ALL
OF US if we want to have a strong and vibrant church. To
volunteer with our RE program, please send an e-mail to
[email protected] or call Barb Stuebing 327-3803. You
can also sign-up with the RE Greeter next Sunday.
Neighboring Faiths — Grades 7 & 8 at 11 am
Faith traditions and practices of other religious groups in
our community are introduced as this class visits other
religious services. Goals include offering students an
opportunity: to personally participate in the faith traditions
of others; to reflect on the unique and universal of religious
experience; to explore our own values as they relate to
many other faiths; to become more aware of the many
connections between UU and other faith traditions. This
curriculum can’t happen without additional teachers and of
course parent support.
— Religious Education Leadership Team
5
COMING UP AROUND OUR CHURCH
October 4, November 1 and December 6 (Saturdays) 9 a.m. to noon
Interested in joining the Amazing UU Cooking Community? We have openings for new cooks!
Join a fun group of UUs once a month on Saturday mornings, 9AM-noon, to share in the ccreative process of cooking
together, learn about cooking with whole foods, eat together, AND walk away with 5-10 meals for your freezer. The idea
of gathering to cook grew out of the Ethical Eating discussions these past 3 years so we have tried to buy local, bulk, and
fresh as much as possible. Our next cooking days are: Saturdays 10/4,11/1, and 12/6, 9am – noon.
Interested in joining us? Contact Ann-Scott Ettinger ([email protected] or 509-998-7072) for more information. Also,
check out the website that is often the starting point for our menus (http://onceamonthmeals.com).
Saturday, October 4th from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Alms Bowl for Sravasti Abbey
Rummage Sale & Pet Blessing
You may know that the nuns from Sravasti Abbey — who have been teaching meditation at our church for 6 years -- eat
only food that has been given to them. This is in keeping with Buddhist tradition going all the way back to the Buddha
himself 2600 years ago. To raise money to buy food for the Abbey, a rummage sale is taking place at Unity Church on the
corner of 29th & Bernard. Pets will be blessed by the nuns between 9 and 11:30am. If you have items to donate to the sale,
they can be dropped off at Unity Church 4-6pm on Friday the 3rd in the north parking lot. If you would prefer to donate
cash or food directly, please contact Sravasti Abbey at [email protected]. We welcome volunteers for the
event: [email protected]. Thanks for returning the generosity the nuns have shown us all these years. Questions?
Contact Susan Virnig at [email protected].
October 5 — Annual UUCS Farmers Market Ends
Our annual Church Farmer’s Market runs thru October 5th. There will be tables in the Friendship Hall where Church
members can bring I home grown vegetables, fruits, and flowers along with baked items or handmade crafts. We will also
have a book sale, so bring any books you are willing to part with to donate to the Farmers Market. Hardback books will be
$1 and paperbacks $.50. There will be sign upsign-up sheets in the back of the church on Sundays to work one or more
Sundays after either the first or second service. All money this year is going to be donated to the UUSC special project to
help our neighbors in Haiti to raise their own food. It takes $250 to provide on Haitian family the training and materials to
raise their own food. If you would like to donate to this cause, stop by and support the Farmer’s Market or write a check to
UUSC and put ‘Gardens for Haiti’ in the memo line.
Adult Enrichment Oct 5, 12, 19, 26 9:15 – 10:15 a.m., Cummings Room
Sustainability – More than Using Less
Kathryn Alexander, MA
As the amount of carbon passes 400 ppm and the weather becomes more volatile will using less of nature’s resources
really make a difference? This course will explore all three stages of sustainability, share examples of each stage and
provide a tool for assessing progress on this journey.
Knowing where we are is not enough, so the next logical question – what to do, will also be addressed. As the magnitude of
the shift in consciousness becomes apparent so do the unexpected benefits. Come explore all three stages of the journey
to creating a happy and healthy planet.
Kathryn Alexander, MA author of What’s It Mean – Shifting To Green? shares her work and research in the area of
sustainability which challenges how we usually think of this topic. This information is distilled from a course she taught at
the University of Colorado, Boulder’s environmental Center’s Sustainability Practices Program.
October 6 – Buddhist Meditation
Monday Meditation Class
This new session of the UU Buddhist Meditation class will start on October 6 in our chapel and run through November 24,
each Monday from 6:30-8:00 p.m. These classes will continue to focus on a new book, co-written by EWU psychology
prof Russell Kolts and Sravasti Abbess Thubten Chodrun. Dr. Kolts’ work centers on Compassion Focused Therapy and
the book blends the techniques and insights of contemporary psychotherapy with Buddhist thought to illustrate reasons
and ways to live a more meaningful, compassionate life. (It’s not necessary to buy the book.) As always, newcomers and
beginners are welcome. Each class consists of meditation, discussion, teaching and homework. There is no charge, and
donations are appreciated to support the teaching work of the Abbey. Contact Susan Virnig at [email protected] with
any questions.
6
COMING UP AROUND OUR CHURCH
October 11 and 12th at our church
Investing in our Future Conference
Do you want your money to help create the type of community in which we want to live? Do you want investments that
reflect your values? Are you interested in investing money in the local Spokane community but don’t know how? If so,
please consider attending the conference, Investing in our Future, on October 11 and 12th at our church. All are welcome
and the cost is an affordable $10 for the weekend (includes Saturday lunch).
On Saturday, top speakers in the field from San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and Ft Collins, CO and LA will share their
experiences in putting local money to work to create vibrant and resilient communities. On Sunday afternoon, local groups,
including our own Local Vision Investing, will share what is happening in the Spokane region.
Local Visioning Investing, an investment group composed of several UUs and their friends, are co-sponsoring this
conference with Sustainable Resources INW. If you have similar beliefs, please join us for this informative presentation Sat.
October 11 (9:30 am-2:45 pm) and Sunday, October 12th (1pm-4 pm.)
We plan to serve lunch for church members who will be spending Sunday afternoon at the conference. To assure we have
enough food, please RSVP to Linda Moulder or Eileen Martin. You may also contact one of us for further information.
October 13
The Community Marketplace is coming!
Restorative Justice Symposium —Informational & Skill
Building Workshop on Alternative Conflict Resolution
for Our Communities @
October 26th – November 16th
This is one of the primary
church fundraisers each
year as well as a great
opportunity to strengthen
our church’s sense of
community and everyone
can get involved and
contribute. Our kick-off
event will be after the 11am
Service on Sunday, October
26th - mark your calendar
and plan to attend as the
most popular items go quickly! This year’s event will include
a potluck lunch (bring something to share) and will see the
return of the popular dessert auction. If you are a baker
this will be a great opportunity to show off your skills and if
you like desserts this is your opportunity to take something
beautiful and delicious home with you. Pizza will be
provided in the RE wing for children. The auction will close
Sunday, November 16th at 1pm. To make this fundraiser a
success, we first need donations for the auction. Our focus
is away from consumerism, so we are looking for donations
of services or experiences and everyone has something
that someone else might want. Suggestions include hosting
a dinner (these are always very popular), teaching someone
a new skill (e.g. skiing, skating, sewing, cooking, playing an
instrument, gardening), offering a service (e.g. designated
driver/transportation, sewing a set of curtains, cooking/
baking food/sauces/desserts, babysitting), and offering
an “experience” (e.g. wine tasting/appreciation evening,
bird watching trip, bicycle tour). Creativity is welcomed!
Candace Schmidt is collecting all the donations so please
contact her at [email protected] or 509-448-4050. All
other questions/suggestions/comments can be directed to
the marketplace coordinator Lorraine Heath at leheath8@
yahoo.com or 509-847-5077.
12:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Barbieri Courtroom 721 N. Cincinnati St, Spokane, WA
99220
An Informational and Skill Building Workshop on Alternative
Conflict Resolution For Our Communities Featuring a
Keynote address by Justice Janine Geske, Retired retired
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice & Restorative restorative
Justice justice Leaderleader. This is a FREE event open
for anyone in the community to attend.open to all
community members.
Thursday, October 16
Third Thursday Book Group will be meeting at 1PM. The
October read is A Story Lately Told by Anjelica Huston. It is
a coming of age story set in Ireland, London and New York.
Please contact Donna Borden Rhodes at dbordenrhodes@
comcast.net for more information. New readers are always
welcome. The book selection for November is The Woman
in White by Wilkie Collins.
It’s a matter of life and death!
Gun Regulation Initiative 594 Phone Bank
Forty percent of gun sales avoid background checks
because they’re sold at gun shows, in parking lots, or
over the internet – with no questions asked. Initiative 594
will close loopholes and require background checks.
We’ll be phone banking for I-594 at the church
on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday
afternoons in October. We provide training and pizza.
We need you! Call or email Cindy Fine at 509-535-0385
or [email protected]
7
OF INTEREST TO UUs
From UU’s Everywhere
Saturday, Nov 22, 7:30 pm UU church, admission free
A Mentoring Volunteer Opportunity for UUs
The Welcome: A Public Listening to Vets with PTSD
The mission of Communities in Schools, Spokane is
to surround students with a community of support,
empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
Prime Time Mentoring is offered at: Betz Elementary,
Chase Middle School, Cheney High School, Cheney Middle
School, Ferris High School, Garry Middle School, Grant
Elementary, North Pines Middle School, Regal Elementary,
Roosevelt Elementary, Salnave Elementary, Shaw Middle
School, Sheridan Elementary, Snowdon Elementary,
Stevens Elementary, Sunset Elementary, & Westwood
Middle School. I will happily return as a Roosevelt mentor
this fall. If you have questions, call Mary Benham 747-0692
or [email protected]
Warrior Songs Retreats serve men and women vets
with PTSD, by providing a skilled team of creative arts
counselors and facilitators for a 4-day free residential
gathering. As the Retreat concludes, vets step forward to
share their truth with an audience of supportive listeners to
their personal stories, songs, and visual art creations.
This second annual Retreat in Spokane builds on last year’s
big successes, and forms the basis of a national model.
We’ve now trained 4 local facilitators to balance out the
national team of volunteer experts, and we’re expanding
the community group of people who gather around to help.
The end of damaging isolation needs public involvement.
Veterans and their families can’t do it alone.
For more information about Spokane Public and Central
Valley Schools mentoring programs, contact Alise Mnati at
[email protected] or (509) 413-1436. To learn more go
online at spokane.ciswa.org/services/primetime-mentoringat-schools/
Jesse Bruce, from Spokane, says, “The Retreat helped
me tell a Iraq war story that only a precious few people
were privy to—that I had spent a decade trying to bury
and forget. Something inside me changed, for the good,
forever. I plan to stay involved to continue my healing and
hope that I can be an example for other veterans.”
October 17
Joe Coyote Concert Heartsong in Tum Tum.
For more info, visit www.WarriorSongsSpokane.org.
We’ll have potluck at 5pm and live acoustic music will begin
at 7 p.m. Friday, October 17th
Connect with a teacher in Colombia
Anne Marie Burk will be on a teaching assignment
in Quibdo, Colombia, for the months of October and
November. While there, she plans to write emails to friends
and family about her experiences there. If you would like to
receive her emails, you may contact her at annemarieburk@
hotmail.com and she will be happy to put you on the list.
RSVP will be required and directions will be given at 509328-1670.
Cost is by donation. Thank you, Kirsten Angell
Joe’s music rides the edge of the first wave of transgender
performers to break through into the public consciousness.
The social media explosion combined with shifting public
opinion created the conditions that enabled trans and
queer artists, a highly marginalized and often isolated
subculture, to connect and gain visibility throughout the
world. Joe performs and gives workshops on songwriting
and queer/trans issues at colleges and universities and
is a social justice activist for underdogs of all stripes,
committed to honoring their vital contributions to the
greater collective evolution.
Wheel of Life
Mary Knight sends greetings from Everett and many
thanks to friends who sent her off with love to a new
ministry this summer, especially the Pastoral Care Team
- and “angels,” Ruth French and Patty Bedalov. Mary is
working as chaplain for Providence Hospice of Snohomish.
New contact: 505 Wood Place, #1302 Everett WA 98203;
phone (425) 551-0515
A prolific writer, the muse began whispering at the age of
fifteen and Joe has produced some untold thousands of
songs and essays in his 32 years. Joe is the main songwriter
in the Alt-Americana group Coyote GraceCoyote GraceCoyote
Grace, who released five albums between 2006 and 2012 and
toured with the Indigo Girls, Melissa Ferrick, and Girlyman;
sharing stages with Chris Pureka, Greensky Bluegrass,
Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band, and legends such as Cris
Williamson and Lowen and Navarro.
Floyd Curtis received an aortic valve implant September 3.
His doctors were very pleased his surgery went so well. He
was home two and a half days later. Floyd and Elaine are
very grateful to everyone offering to help and for all the caring
prayers, cards, calls and visits enhancing his recovery!
If YOU have a landmark event in your life and would like to
share it in the Wheel of Life, please email me at wheel_of_
[email protected]. It is a joy for UUCS to celebrate with you
and support you in times of need or sorrow. Because we care
“Coyote Grace plays with the heart of traditional country
and Americana music, but tells their stories with a bold
twist. They write heart wrenching melodies and make such
textured harmonies that I find myself enraptured and taken
by their timelessness of song.” - Amy Ray (Indigo Girls)
— Sue Stiritz
8
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST TO UUs
SOCIAL JUSTICE IS WHAT WE DO!
The SJC Needs Your Help!
Special Collection September 14 for
Transitions
Is your group thinking of doing a Social Justice project?
Help the Social Justice Council by informing them of your
event so we can better coordinate our time, energy, and
efforts! Contact Nancy Avery (note new email address!)
at [email protected] and let her know what you
are planning.
Transitions is a local non-profit working to end poverty and
homelessness for women and children in Spokane. Each
program is designed to seek justice, growth, wholeness,
and community for each women or child who comes to
their doors. Transitions operates 5 unique programs: the
Women’s Hearth, a day center in downtown Spokane,
Miryam’s House and the Transitional Living Center which
are transitional housing programs, EduCare, a therapeutic
daycare for the littlest victims of homelessness, and the
New Leaf Bakery and Cafe, a job training program. In 2013,
the Women’s Hearth served 1,059 women of which 50%
were homeless. Entering the Women’s Hearth is often the
first step a woman in crisis takes toward safety and stability.
Through their unique service model designed around
building community and fostering trusting relationships,
Transitions is able to engage and assist many of the most
marginalized women in accessing resources and finding
housing. Learn more at www.help4women.org.
Bite 2 Go and UUCS
The Bite 2 Go program in conjunction with Second
Harvest helps the neediest children on a school’s free
lunch program. During recess on Friday the program
anonymously slips a food kit into the kids’ backpacks to
provide them with breakfast and lunch for the weekend.
With your commitment and interest in this project,
UUCS has become the “Bite 2 Go” sponsor for Balboa
Elementary. We should begin delivering the weekend meal
kits to Balboa on Friday, September 5.
Learning Journey to Japan
UUCS member Bob Stilger gave a sermon last year on his
work in Japan. Many people expressed interest in learning
more. Through his nonprofit, New Stories, Bob will be
taking a small group of westerners to Japan where they can
witness the extraordinary work that ordinary people are
doing in the aftermath of the triple disasters of earthquake,
tsunami and nuclear radiation that hit on March 11, 2011.
The Learning Journey will also spend time spent exploring
Japan’s cultural and spiritual roots in Kyoto. If you’d like to
learn more, check out the website http://www.newstories.
org/our-offerings/learning-journeys/ or contact Bob directly
at [email protected].
Here are 4 ways you can help:
•E
very month a truck from 2nd Harvest will bring about 80100 food kits to the UUCS to store in our basement until
needed. Can you help unload?
•E
very Friday we’ll take 32+ food kits to Balboa
Elementary, which is 4.5 miles from our church on W.
Holyoke just north of Francis. Help is needed!
•O
nce every three months help is needed at 2nd Harvest
for “the Big Build.” This is when thousands of weekend
food kits are assembled in two shifts - 9 AM to Noon,
and 1 PM to 4 PM. Go to http://inland.volunteerhub.com/
Events/Index to sign up to volunteer.
•F
inally, you can sponsor child for $144 per year.
For more information, or to help out, contact Kent Moline
from the Social Justice Council at: [email protected]
or at 230-5207.
Transgender Awareness in October
At our annual meeting in June 2014, UUCS voted to proceed
with the recertification process as a Welcoming Congregation.
Part of that process includes facilitating a panel discussion
at our church on transgender awareness. The Social Justice
Committee has several folks who would like to participate
on that panel and is looking for a volunteer to organize this
event in October. If this ministry speaks to you, please contact
Nancy Avery at [email protected] (note new email for
Nancy) or Peggy Eklof at [email protected].
9
TEAM & GROUP NEWS
Membership Team
Attention Team Leaders
Providing a warm welcome to all who enter the doors of our
church is everyone’s opportunity to listen to each other’s
stories. It is easy for each of us to be about the business
of the church or catching up with old friends and to forget
that everyone who comes to church is looking to share
their story with us. Take some time whenever you come to
church to share your story with someone who you don’t
know well and to hear his or hers as well. I promise you that
it will be worth it.
Are you wondering how the office staff and volunteers
can support your Team’s activities and projects? Here
are some ways we can help: Make copies; help with
mailings, including envelopes and postage; provide
supplies, such as tape, paper, folders, markers,
pushpins; offer use of staplers and paper cutters. We
are happy to work with you and for you. Just ask!
FYI: Our church office is open Monday through Friday
from 10 am to 2 pm. The phone number is 509-325-6383.
Membership Team Meetings
Meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month at 7
pm in the workroom and anyone interested in learning more
about this team is welcome to attend.
UU Women
Lunch. Wednesday. October 8th. 11:30
a.m. Lunch at the MAC Café. (The
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.)
2316 West 1st Avenue. The Middle
Eastern cuisine is so good! Please RSVP
to Judy Gammon [email protected] to join the party and
perhaps go exploring in Browne’s Addition after lunch.
Greeter’s Team Training
Wednesday, October 8th at 6:30 pm.
If you would like to become more comfortable greeting
people in our congregation, in joining the Greeter’s
Team, are already a member of the Greeters, Ushers or
Membership Team please plan to attend this training. We
will learn from each other, have fun together and become
more comfortable with new people. Contact me to RSVP or
to get more information.
UU Women is a chapter of the UU Women’s Federation. For
more information, its website is uuwf.org. All the women of the
church are invited to participate in UU Women’s activities.
Path to Membership Classes
Sunday, November 2nd and 9th at 12:30 p.m. in
the Chapel.
Pastoral Care Team
These classes are an opportunity for anyone interested
in learning more about membership in our church. A sign
upsign-up sheet will be available at the Greeter’s Table
each Sunday in October and you can contact me for more
information. Luncheon and childcare are provided.
The Pastoral care Team focuses on needs of congregation
members and friends who may be facing a crisis or life
transition. Please keep the team in your thoughts and
contact a member of the Pastoral Care Team if you have a
need or know of someone who does: Team co-leaders are
Amy Howard and Joan Nelson.
New Member Sunday and 50th Anniversary
Service and Celebration
Sunday, November 23rd during and after both
services.
Team members are:
Mary Jane Blanpied
Majil Fausel Nancy Hand Doug Huigen Stephanie Samson Jim Schroeder Dianne Wilson
We will welcome new members and celebrate those who
have been with us for 50 years or more. You will not want
to miss this important community ritual and opportunity to
treasure our long-term members.
~ Erin Fitzgerald, Membership Team Chair
erinfitzgerald@comcast
In the meantime we would love to talk with someone who
you don’t know on Sunday morning or to someone who you
don’t know well yet. We need all of you to create the kind of
experience that will invite people to come into community with
us. — Erin Fitzgerald, Membership Team Chair
10
Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof, Minister
Ruth French
Amy Howard, Co-Leader
Ellen Krehbiel
Jeannie Schroeder
Chuck Smith
UUCS Musical Notes
Our Mixed Choir is growing leaps and bounds! Just this month we have added five new
members and are also happy to have a returning member! You will notice that our lady’s
sections are full at this point, with 10 sopranos and 11 altos now on the rolls. Frankly, in all
my 25 years here we have never been in this position before! I am grateful for the influx. I
have always wanted this choir to have 10 voices in each of the four sections. So… now I am
concentrating on filling our “back row” to match, with the goal being 10 tenors and 10 basses—
not a small task! As of today, we have 7 basses and 5 tenors—not at all bad for a church choir,
but I’d love to expand both of those sections. So come on, men—step up to the plate! You can
contact me at [email protected] or call the church and leave me a voice mail at 3256383, ext. 303.
For those of you who might be considering our Mixed Choir, let me tell you a bit about how
we operate. The Choir meets from September through May, rehearsing Thursday nights from 6:50 to 8:30 p.m. We sing
approximately twice a month for both Sunday services, coming in around 8:15 a.m. for a pick up rehearsal those mornings.
This group requires a steady commitment from our singers to those Thursday rehearsals and our “singing” Sundays. The
goal is to provide our congregants with inspiring, beautiful music that is well sung, so the expectation for choir members is
to be there so that we can do our best. That being said, as Music Director, I do my best to work with people when they have
things come up—work conflicts, illness, new babies (usually for grandparents), etc. We work hard in this group and try to
have a little fun while doing that!
We also very much like feedback from the congregation—both positive and otherwise—so that we can tell if we are on track
with our goals. So if you have a comment about how our music has impacted you, please let me or a choir member know.
Fall is here—I hope it finds you dancing in the leaves!
Here’s hoping your August was luscious
— Deborah Jacquemin
UUCS Music Director
MEN – Come Harmonize with Us!
Our burgeoning Mixed Choir is in need of more men singers to fill out the sound in our “back row.” Come on now, guys…
our choir needs your sound to balance out all those beautiful women’s voices in the two front rows! If you can carry a
tune, you can learn to part sing! And… learning to sing uses both the right and left sides of the brain—an enhancement
that all of us could use! Contact Music Director Deborah Jacquemin at [email protected] or 325-6383, ext. 303
for questions or more information.
HELP NEEDED @ UUCS
Looking to Become More Involved but Have a Tight Schedule? Become an Usher!
Serving as an Usher is a great way to volunteer with a minimum time commitment. Volunteer for one service per month
at a time that fits your schedule – No experience is needed. It’s also a great way to say “Hello” and to meet others in the
congregation. You can also have a friend or family member join you as an usher. Please contact Dave Gard at 509-3281305 [email protected], or Lola Reed at [email protected]. You’ll be glad you did!!
Order of Service Layout Person Needed
Our long-time Order of Service (OOS) layout person, Karen Olson, has decided to give over this task to a new person.
Laying out the weekly OOS involves approximately one hour of work per week and can be done at church or from home. If
you are interested in volunteering to do this important bit of church business, please contact UUCS Business Administrator,
Jet Tilley, for details at [email protected] or 509-325-6383.
11
Nonprofit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Spokane, WA
Permit No. 1147
UNITARIAN
UNIVERSALIST
CHURCH OF SPOKANE
4340 W Fort Wright Drive
Spokane WA 99224
Phone: 509-325-6383
FAX: 509-325-6635
www.uuspokane.org
Address service requested.
The SUUN is a monthly publication of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane.
Minister & Staff Contact Information
Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof, [email protected]
Jet Tilley, Business [email protected]
Deborah Jacquemin, Music [email protected]
Board of Trustees
Dan Eacret, President
Ann-Scott Ettinger, Vice-President
Wayne Attwood
Donna Borden-Rhodes
Bonnie Brunt
Covenant Statement
We, the Unitarian Universalist congregation of Spokane, promise to:
support and care for one another,
Jeff Hedge
Sue Stiritz
Board of Trustees (Ex-officio):
Marie Bjork, Treasurer
embrace diversity of persons and spiritual paths,
Cheryl Conn, Secretary
search for truth and understanding, and
Management Team:
work for social justice and environmental stewardship.
With this covenant, we honor each other with our laughter and
tears, our compassion, and respect.
We are a community of open hearts, open minds, and open hands.
Rev. Dr. Todd Eklof, Minister
Lee Dominey
Cly Evans
Jet Tilley, Business Administrator
Church Office Hours:
If you no longer wish to receive the SUUN, please contact us at [email protected]
Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.